Manchester City: Six managers who could succeed Pep Guardiola

Enzo Maresca has been strongly linked with succeeding his former mentor, but there are other plausible names to replace Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager.

Guardiola has a contract with Manchester City until the end of next season, in June 2027. Recently, his future has become the subject of debate and uncertainty, especially following the absence of negotiations over a potential extension, according to the Catalan manager himself.

As such, names of possible successors have begun to emerge. Maresca, former assistant to the manager at City and current Chelsea boss, is the frontrunner at present. But beyond the Italian, there are other names who could adapt to the club's playing model and follow a similar or direct plan to what the Catalan has created over the past 10 years. Candidates with experience at the club and/or experience working with Guardiola. Here are six options for Manchester City's casting call.

Vincent Kompany – Bayern Munich

Captain of Manchester City for years and a pillar of Guardiola's team at the start of his journey in England, the former centre-back has become a bold manager since his time at Burnley, when he earned promotion from the Championship to the Premier League in 2023.

He started as player-manager at Anderlecht, the club where he began his career. Five years later, he is managing Bayern Munich in impeccable fashion, despite initial doubts: just 10 defeats in 81 matches with the German club. In Germany, Kompany brings a very aggressive, bold footballing philosophy, with constant positional rotations, a high defensive line and pressing. It is a style that resembles the Dutch ideas of the 1970s that influenced Guardiola – a "blitz" in attack without sacrificing defensive solidity.

At City, he would be a safe choice, as he is one of the greatest players in the club's history. Having worked with Pep and his status as a City icon would make the Belgian an almost certain pick. However, looking ahead, the Rekordmeister have just extended his contract until June 2029.

Peter Bosz – PSV Eindhoven

At 62, Peter Bosz is an established manager. He was named Eredivisie Manager of the Year with Ajax in 2017 and is currently a multiple champion with PSV, with two league titles and two cups in the Netherlands.

In his highly offensive 4-3-3, Bosz has built a devastating attack at PSV in recent years: he was champion in 2023-24 with 111 goals scored and just 21 conceded; the following year, there were 103 goals scored, 27 more than the second-best attack in the league. Currently, he dominates the Eredivisie with an 11-point lead and 52 goals in 17 matches.

Although not historically as close to Guardiola regarding positional play, the Dutchman manages a team that presses high and hard, and attacks with positional rotations, fluidity and pace – something Pep has implemented at City recently.

Thomas Tuchel – England manager

The German won the Champions League with Chelsea by beating Guardiola's Manchester City in the 2021 final. His success in the Premier League has already been proven, in addition to his familiarity with several players from the league and City.

Tuchel, one of the leading names of the German school, and Guardiola have a history of mutual admiration and praise. The former Borussia Dortmund manager is another coach who closely resembles the Catalan in terms of ideas.

From match domination through possession, with a preference for short passing, to high and rapid pressing to win the ball back, Tuchel could offer a smooth transition and continue Guardiola's vision at City – in addition to having a contract valid only until the end of the 2026 World Cup.

Pep Lijnders – Manchester City assistant

Former assistant to Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and current assistant to Guardiola at City, Lijnders would be another "in-house" name that would give the club an internal succession having absorbed their own philosophy.

Considered one of the most innovative minds among young "football students", the 42-year-old Dutchman has also had two experiences as head coach: at NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands in 2018, before his partnership with Klopp, and at Red Bull Salzburg last season.

His spell at Salzburg lasted only six months, with mixed results compared to the club's expectations, but his promising ideas left their mark. Starting from a 4-3-3, he would build into a 4-2-2-2, with a square in midfield formed by the defensive midfielders and the connection of one of the attacking midfielders and the striker who dropped deep to help create – while the wingers pushed forward to attack behind the defence.

Lijnders built a team with a fluid and structured attack, as well as a strong and intense pressing system. Having been under Guardiola's tutelage and possessing a very similar playing style would be other points in his favour to succeed him.

Xabi Alonso – Real Madrid

Currently at Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso is experiencing tense moments at the club, and it is not impossible to imagine that he could find himself without a position when Guardiola officially announces his departure from Manchester City.

The former defensive midfielder is a direct pupil of Pep: he has never stopped praising the manager with whom he worked at Bayern Munich for two years and who, according to him, allowed him to perceive football in a different way. As a manager, he has ideas very similar to those of his mentor. Alonso found success at Bayer Leverkusen with an aggressive team, focused on strong wing-backs and with creativity through the centre with skilful players, but always following ideas of game control and short passing.

Even under pressure at Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso would still be a name for Manchester City to consider for the future: he has been coveted in the Premier League before and is still highly rated on the market, in addition to having ideas that would make the succession at the helm of the club smoother.

Xavi – without a club

The only unemployed name on the list, Xavi Hernandez is possibly the greatest of Guardiola's disciples. A pillar and one of the captains of the historic FC Barcelona managed by the Catalan, the former midfielder has also become a manager with ideas very similar to those of his mentor.

He has had two very positive experiences as a manager: first at Al-Sadd for two years, with six titles and a 73% win rate; then at FC Barcelona for almost three years with a 69% win rate, in addition to a La Liga title and the Spanish Super Cup.

Despite some criticism from his time at Barca, Xavi brought the club back to winning the title by focusing on the intrinsic philosophy of the Catalans: positional play, match control through possession and promoting academy youngsters. Gavi, Pedri and Alejandro Balde were familiar names under his command, in addition to nurturing Yamal's first steps.

Xavi would be a direct successor to Guardiola in several ways: from ideas on the pitch, to training sessions and even with similarities in squad management – and a "simple" option as he is currently without a club.

his article was originally published on Trivela.